The binary nature of the barium stars

Radial-velocity spectrometer observations are presented that indicate that Ba II stars are binary systems. The secondary stars of these systems have low masses, consistent with their being degenerate objects which have lost mass onto their primaries in a previous stage of evolution. It is suggested that the Population II equivalents, the CH stars, may also be binary systems. This may be related to the fact that they are found only in globular clusters of the lowest central concentration.